


Partners In Crime

by ItsAkira (Nasharuu)



Series: Pegoryu Week 2019 Prompts [6]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Also Minato lives, Everyone Is Gay, Gen, I love my kids tho, Idiots in Love, M/M, Naoya is also gay but his crush isn't mentioned, Pegoryu Week 2019, This Is STUPID, pinning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-11 14:15:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20547512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nasharuu/pseuds/ItsAkira
Summary: Ryuji is in love, and his new friends are willing to help out!------------------------------------------------------Sixth day of the Pegoryu Week 2019 promptDay 6: Free Day





	Partners In Crime

**Author's Note:**

> Since this is a free-for-all day i wanted to use one of my AU's! This is also part of my WIP series [ Hearts Interwined ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20485331/chapters/48610652) so check that out!

**Day 6: Free Day (Shujin AU)**

“Are you going to keep mourning the whole day or..?” Asked someone at Ryuji’s side. The faux blond looked up from his little hiding spot to his friends.

“I don’t know what to do, man!” He yelled, burying his face back into his arms. “Akira is way out of my league”

“At least you are friends with him. It’s not like he’s some grand student on Shujin.” 

“Yeah but Akira is Mr. Popular Guy. He has a fanbase around him,” added Minato, while listening to music. 

“Says the guy who’s crushing on the sports club leader!” Retorted Yosuke, facing his friend. Ryuji groaned on his arms. Here they go again..

The door to the roof suddenly opened up, “can you two not try to kill each other while I'm gone for once?” Said the distinct voice of Naoya, sitting next to the blond. “What’s wrong with Ryu-chan?” 

“He’s still clamming how Akira is soo far from his reach, like always,” mumbled Minato, playing with his dyed strands. Yosuke crossed his arms, glaring at the Senior. 

“And  _ somebody  _ isn’t helping.” 

Naoya sighed, his hand laying on Ryuji’s head, “hey little buddy”.

“Naoya we are literally the same age,” complained the blond, but accepted the boy’s affection. Ryuji never thought he would end up with such a small circle of friends. It’s not like he doesn’t like to spend time with the rest of the Phantom Thieves, but he found such fondness and familiarity with the three boys that he never had before, even with the track team, to the point that he considers them as his brothers. 

Minato always was there to lend him an ear whenever he needed to pour his guts out. Even if he didn’t know how to deal with emotions, (he can barely handle his own) he’s willing to help Ryuji by doing what he can do best; listen. The dyed boy was the first person, after Akira, that approached him without ill intentions, always sharing his music tastes to pass time.

Yosuke always knew what to do to help him up. After several clashes with him and Narukami, the other headphone-wearing boy joined slowly to their circle. He was honest and really smart, knowing the right words to say to help. He assumed that his time glued at Narukami’s side 24/7 made him develop a mother hen attitude. He was like some sort of mediator of the group, even if he butted heads with Minato from some time (he and Naoya still didn’t know the reason why)

Speaking of which. Naoya was a huge mystery. Almost nobody knew about the guy or what he does. Rumors after rumors have been going about him, variating from him just skipping school to use drugs to being into a huge street gang that is into supernatural stuff. Of course Ryuji never believed them, after all he never met the guy to have such stigmas to him. He and Akira were aware of that feeling. So seeing the myth and legend himself being into their group was a surprise. Ryuji still was wary of him since he doesn’t know much, and Naoya himself doesn’t open up to them either, but him with the big heart he has, is 102% open to have another misunderstood person in his life. All those rumors are wrong about Naoya, since he’s the funniest and dorkiest guy he ever met on Shujin.

Ryuji was so grateful for his friends, and he loved each one of them with his soul. “I don’t know man. Akira is so great and amazing. He is the only person that makes me feel like this. So… free.”

The rest of the group fell silent.

“I feel like that when I’m with Yu,” piped in Yosuke, his face a cute tint of red, making his myriad of tiny freckles stand out “everytime I’m with him I feel like I can do so much. That I can be true to myself with him. Not having to hide who I am” 

Ryuji remembers Yosuke’s story. How his internalized homophobia almost ruins his friendships, just because he had to put a front as a store manager’s son. All of that changed when he met Narukami back at their old school. Both city boys with a reputation. It wasn’t until the poor guy caught feelings for his “partner” that he wasn’t aware of how much he was deceiving himself. 

“Everytime I look at Akihiko I.. I feel so elevated. That I can be that guy. But I’m aware of my issues, and he makes me realize that it’s ok to feel powerless. That we all have things we want to hide but we need to face eventually. He..” mumbled Minato, his face downcast. His washed out hair falling onto his face, only to look back up. “He makes me want to get better”

Ryuji winces at Minato’s confession. Flashes of all those times he  _ saw  _ Minato trying to end it all. How he could end up like Suzui.. and he hated it. Knowing he can’t help his friend overcome his long running demon. He didn’t know how to aid someone with such a state of depression, and he worries that someday he will snap. 

And Ryuji wouldn’t be there to prevent it.

“I.. always remember him. How much I miss him. How much I love Na-” before he can continue, Naoya silence himself as he mumbled to himself, effectively bringing the blond back from his thoughts. He shook his head with a smile, his wild hair flying everywhere, only to smile at Ryuji “we know how you feel, Ryu-chan. We all have  _ that  _ special someone we wish to be closer to. You don’t know how important that person is until you feel you will lose them at any moment. You know what we say about it?”

He looked at his friends, his  _ family _ and furrows his brows. Yosuke smiled down at him from his spot. “Go for it, Ryuji” 

The blond stared with wide eyes, incredulous at the request “but..what if he-”

“Akira loves you, Ryuji. Even if he doesn’t feel that way he won’t stop being your friend” added Minato with a rare smile.

“If he did, we’ll beat him up” joked Naoya, his clear eyes glimmering with that strange purple hue he has seen them turn. Ryuji laughed at his friend, glad at them for what they have been doing for him. “Besides, you have us to lift you up back to your feet, man” 

“Thanks guys. I really appreciate it. Love ya” 

“That’s so fucking gay, Ryuji” deadpanned Minato, causing the group to burst into laughs. 

He loved his idiots.

——————————————————

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. 

“So, Kurusu” said a husky voice at his side “finally decided what to do with your crush on Sakamoto?” 

“Akihiko-senpai!” Screeched Akira from his spot, his face red. He could see Yu trying to muffle his laugh behind, covering his face with his silver locks. Akihiko chuckled at his distressed face. The raven felt his pocket buzz, a message to his phone. Akira retrieve the device, looking at his inbox.

Sho(ryu)ken:  _ hey man. wanna talk to u. is v important. wait for me @ the school gates? _

Akira smiled fondly, his blush present.

“I think I do, yeah”

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my favorites.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
